


a very distant dawn

by discowing (ameliafromafairytale)



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Background Relationships, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Canon Relationships, Dick Grayson is Batman, Gen, Not Season/Series 03 Compliant, Post-Season/Series 02, Team as Family, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, final crisis happens right after the reach invasion, i moved the timeline up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-01 12:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17867453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ameliafromafairytale/pseuds/discowing
Summary: What do you get when you mix grief, shitty coping skills, the strain of raising a little brother trained to be an assassin, and a legacy that feels larger than life? Well, in Dick Grayson's case, the year from hell.





	1. PROLOGUE

**Author's Note:**

> this is like the most RIDICULOUS condensed timeline ever but the only thing i've been able to think about lately is how i can twist timelines to make dick suffer as much as possible. in this case, he gets over a year straight as batman (b/c he was definitely subbing for bruce while bruce was on rimbor), two "deaths" almost back to back, and a brother he didn't know about thrust upon him after bruce was already gone. so. let's party! 
> 
> also, incredibly NOT s3 compliant lmao. why did they make damian a baby make it make sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick shuts himself off; the team worries.

**October 19, 2016  
** _ Watchtower _

“ _Recognized, Aqualad: B02._ ”

When Kaldur exits the zeta tube, he blinks away the light to be met with what looks to be moments away from a three-on-one fight. Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, Beast Boy are being stared down by a short figure that Kaldur realizes is the latest Robin.

(By the seven seas, the child is young. Far younger than Tim or Jason; almost as young as Dick had been. What was Batman _thinking?_ )

Kid Flash – Bart – is watching from the side, looking vaguely…upset? Troubled? Kaldur recognizes the look. Bart will cover it up as soon as he notices he’s being watched, but they’ve all seen it enough to recognize it’s an indication that he’s thinking about something that happens in their future.

Kaldur hopes, for Dick’s sake at the very least, that there is not death in this Robin’s future as well.

“What is going on here?” He asks, cutting in.

The Robin makes an arrogant-sounding _tsk_.

“I do not understand how Grayson put up with this team,” he scoffs. “He is _leagues_ better than you lot. You only drag him down.”

“How dare you!” Beast Boy growls. “We’re a _team!_ We _support each other!_ ”

“I have known Dick longer than anyone else on this team,” Kaldur says, refusing to rise to this child’s bait. “I have watched him grow up. He has grown tremendously during his time on this team, and I would like to think that my comrades and I had something to do with that.”

“Not as much as you think you did.” Robin’s words are more true than he would like. Dick had – still has, presumably – natural talent the likes of which Kaldur has only seen in other Bats. Still, he refuses to take this attack on his team, his and Dick’s (and Wally’s) creation, sitting down.

“It is not about how strong we are individually,” Kaldur says, “because we are all strong individually. We all have our own unique talents and skills. What matters is how we work together, to unite those unique skills for the common good and achieve more as one than we ever could as individuals.”

Though the lenses in Robin’s mask are an opaque white, Kaldur can still tell the boy is clearly rolling his eyes.

“You’re all sentimental fools. Combining your talents means nothing when I can still defeat you all on my own.”

Where did Batman _get_ this child?

“It’s not worth it,” Bart says, sounding uncharacteristically tired as he pulls an irritated Jaime and Gar back. Suddenly, his face lights up. “C’mon! Let’s see if there’s any of M’gann’s cookies left in the cafeteria!”

“I doubt it,” Cassie says, but she still tugs Jaime and Gar along.

Bart lingers for a moment.

“I know you’re going through some stuff right now,” he says, staring Robin in the eye, “but attacking them…attacking _us_ doesn’t accomplish anything.” Kaldur blinks, and Bart is gone.

Robin stares at the spot in which he stood, looking disgruntled by Bart’s apparent knowledge of his personal life, but he quickly shrugs it off.

“Tt, whatever,” he says, storming off to do who-knows-what and leaving Kaldur alone in the atrium.

Kaldur finally understands Dick’s response to his inquiry as to whether or not the new Robin would be joining the team, now.

 

* * *

 

 **November 15, 2016  
** _ Watchtower _

Conner and M’gann turn around from where they’ve been standing together, gazing over Earth, when they hear a zeta tube activate.

“ _Recognized, Red Robin B20.”_

[ _Tim?_ ] Conner raises a brow at M’gann. She shrugs. They’d heard there was a new Robin, but this is the first they’ve heard of Tim’s apparent name change. The zeta beam fades to reveal Tim wearing a uniform that looks like some unholy mix of Batman, Robin, and Dr. Mid-Nite. He looks like he’s lost weight, but he also looks like he’s grown an inch or two in the months since they last saw him.

The Bats have barely been at the Watchtower since the Reach invasion and Batman’s return from Rimbor. Batman, at least, is still going on missions with the League, but not as often as he used to.

“M’gann, Conner,” Tim greets. “It’s nice to see you.” His words are kind, but there’s something about…his face, maybe, or perhaps the way he’s holding himself that seems _sad_. Unease churns Conner’s gut.

“Tim,” M’gann smiles. “I…like your costume.” There’s a faint smirk on Tim’s lips like he can tell M’gann isn’t be quite truthful, but he doesn’t press it.

“Thanks,” he says instead. “I’m looking for Bart. Is he around?”

“Last I saw, he was in the cafeteria,” Conner says.

“I should’ve known,” Tim says, not unkindly. He turns and begins walking away, but M’gann suddenly calls out.

“Tim!” He pauses, half turning back to face them. “It’s…How’s Dick?” She offers a weak smile, wringing her hands. “It’s like pulling teeth trying to get him to talk to us, and…well, we’re worried.”

Tim gazes at them for a long moment.

“Dick’s…got his hands full right now,” he says at length, “and that’ll probably be the case for a while. But…he’s managing. This time of year is just rough on him.”

“We understand,” M’gann says.

“Can you tell him we miss him?” Conner asks. “We just…want to actually talk to him again.”

Tim’s silent looks aren’t very reassuring. “I’ll try,” he says, “but no promises.”

“Trying is more than enough,” M’gann says.

Tim nods, then leaves to track down Bart.

 

* * *

 

 **June 27, 2017**  
_Watchtower_

“Kaldur,” Conner begins, then pauses. His teammate turns, inquisitive. The tone in Conner’s voice is one Kaldur hasn’t heard in quite some time. “Have you…heard from Dick since last month?”

Ah.

“No,” Kaldur says, sighing. “There has been no follow-up, despite what he said. I know he told me he needed a leave of absence, but - “

“But it’s been almost a _year_ ,” Conner finishes, looking away. The ache of Wally’s loss is still fresh, even months after the fact. “Whatever Dick was doing that night he wasn’t doing as Nightwing, because Nightwing hasn’t been seen since the Crisis.”

“I have tried to reach out,” Kaldur responds, “but nobody in the Bat… _family_ will tell me anything more than that he’s busy with other obligations.” He sighs again. “I must admit, the lack of conversation has been worrying me as well. I know he and Wally were best friends, but his death seems to be hitting him harder than most of the others.”

“Who can you even reach, anymore?” Conner huffs. “Every time I try to talk to Barbara she tells me she’s trying to stay _out_ of the life, and Tim’s Red Robin identity crisis has him on some around-the-earth crime fighting spree.”

“The new Robin does not seem amicable to the concept of joining the team either,” Kaldur adds. The memory of the scowling and vaguely murderous child that was clearly not Tim (but refused to divulge his name) and had spent his brief but very vocal visit disparaging what seemed like every member of the team and what they stood for is still fresh in both of their minds. “For that matter, Batman is hardly around either.”

“Stupid Bats and their stupid secrets!” Conner growls. “Superman won’t tell me anything either, just that the Bats are focusing their attention on Gotham for the time being. Dick’s our _friend_ , Kaldur, why won’t he talk to us?”

“It bothers me as well, but even I am hesitant to intrude on Gotham when outside assistance is so clearly eschewed.”

“If he doesn’t talk to us soon, I don’t care what Batman thinks or says, I’m going in.” Conner crosses his arms, looking like he’s on the verge of pouting.

“Just like old times, my friend.”

 

* * *

 

 **June 22, 2016 3:12PM**  
From: Conner

Are you doing okay?

 **June 22, 2016 3:46PM**  
From: Dick

no

 **June 22, 2016 3:47PM**  
From: Conner

Same.

 **June 22, 2016 3:47PM**  
From: Conner

Wanna talk about it?

 **June 22, 2016 11:27PM**  
From: Dick

not yet

.

.

.

 **July 21, 2016 2:15PM**  
From: Kaldur

Hello, Dick. It has been some time since we  
last spoke.

 **July 21, 2016 2:16PM**  
From Kaldur

I hope this does not make you uncomfortable,  
but I wanted to check in.

 **July 22, 2016 3:06PM**  
From: Dick

busy

 **July 22, 2016 3:06PM**  
From: Dick

arkham breakout

 **July 22, 2016 3:10PM**  
From: Kaldur

I saw on the news. Please let me know if I  
can be of any assistance.

 **July 22, 2016 3:11PM**  
From: Kaldur

And Dick, whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m  
here.

.

.

.

 **August 2, 2016 12:00PM  
**From: JL

ATTENTION: THIS IS AN AUTOMATED  
MESSAGE. PLEASE REPLY “YES” TO  
THIS TEXT TO CONFIRM YOU HAVE  
SURVIVED THE CRISIS.

 **August 2, 2016 2:37AM  
**From: Dick

yes

.

.

.

 **August 30, 2016 1:12AM**  
From: Artemis

are you even alive you stupid asshole

 **August 30, 2016 1:13AM  
**From: Artemis

there was a whole crisis and we barely  
saw each other

 **August 30, 2016 7:23AM**  
From: Dick

yes

 **August 30, 2016 9:12AM**  
From: Artemis

cool. anything else you wanna add?

 **August 30, 2016 12:46PM**  
From: Artemis

dick? hello??????

.

.

.

 **September 8, 2016 11:16AM**  
From: Artemis

this isn’t exactly easy for me, either

.

.

.

 **September 14, 2016 7:26PM  
**From: Kaldur

I heard that there is a new Robin. While I am  
confused as to why Tim appears to no longer  
be carrying the mantle, I would still like to  
meet the new recruit.

 **September 14, 2016 7:26PM  
**From: Kaldur

Will they be joining the team?

 **September 14, 2016 7:45PM**  
From: Dick

hah

 **September 14, 2016 7:45PM**  
From: Dick

no

.

.

.

 **September 27, 2016 2:36PM**  
From: M’gann

Hi Dick! It’s been a while since the team’s  
heard from you. Kaldur wanted to know if  
you’re still on your leave of absence.

 **September 28, 2016 11:56AM**  
From: Dick

yes

 **September 28, 2016 11:57AM**  
From: Dick

gotham stuff

 **September 28, 2016 11:58AM**  
From: Dick

will b away indefinitely

 **September 28, 2016 12:00PM**  
From: M’gann

We understand, Dick. Take as much time  
as you need. We will be here when you  
return.

 **September 28, 2016 12:00PM**  
From: M’gann

Thank you for communicating with us. We  
miss you.

.

.

.

 **October 19, 2016 10:17PM  
**From: Kaldur

I had the pleasure of meeting the new Robin  
today.

 **October 19, 2016 10:17PM  
**From: Kaldur

…I can see why he will not be joining the team  
any time soon.

.

.

.

 **November 11, 2016 7:18AM**  
From: Artemis

still alive?

 **November 11, 2016 1:12PM**  
From: Artemis

dick grayson I swear to god

 **November 11, 2016 1:13PM**  
From: Artemis

don't you do this to me. not today.  
answer me, you asshole

 **November 11, 2016 1:13PM**  
From: Artemis

i still have bruce’s number and i’m NOT  
afraid to use it

 **November 11, 2016 1:14PM**  
From: Dick

i'm alive

 **November 11, 2016 1:14PM**  
From: Artemis

don't scare me like that

 **November 11, 2016 1:17PM**  
From: Artemis

dick what is going ON with you

 **November 11, 2016 1:17PM**  
From: Artemis

you're scaring us. why won’t you talk to  
anyone????

 **November 11, 2016 1:19PM**  
From: Artemis

i can’t lose you too

.

.

.

 **December 1, 2016 12:01AM**  
From: Conner

Happy birthday, Dick.

 **December 1, 2016 12:01AM**  
From: Conner

I’m glad you were born.

 **December 1, 2016 12:23AM**  
From: Dick

at least one of us is

 **December 1, 2016 12:23AM**  
From: Conner

Dick???

 **December 1, 2016 12:24AM**  
From: Conner

Dick, talk to me, please. You’re scaring me.

 **December 1, 2016 12:24AM**  
From: Conner

If you don’t respond, I’m calling Tim.

 **December 1, 2016 12:27AM**  
From: Conner

You asked for it.

 **December 1, 2016 3:35AM**  
From: Conner

Tim told me you’re still alive, at least. Thanks  
for keeping me informed, I guess.

 **December 1, 2016 3:35AM  
**From: Conner

That was sarcasm.

.

.

.

 **January 1, 2017 1:17AM  
**From: Artemis

happy new year

 **January 1, 2017 1:17AM  
**From: Artemis

you still alive?

 **January 1, 2017 1:20AM  
**From: Dick

yes

.

.

.

 **February 2, 2017 4:25PM  
**From: M’gann

Hello Dick, I wanted to check in and make  
sure you’re still…alive, I guess.

 **February 2, 2019 4:30PM  
**From: Dick

still kicking

.

.

.

 **March 9, 2017 3:10PM  
**From: Kaldur

Status?

 **March 9, 2017 3:13PM  
**From: Dick

extremely sleep deprived

 **March 9, 2017 3:13PM  
**From: Dick

but alive

 **April 6, 2017 2:43PM  
**From: Artemis

report

 **April 6, 2017 4:21PM  
**From: Artemis

dick??? hello??????

 **April 6, 2017 5:02PM  
**From: Artemis

tim and bruce aren’t answering their  
phones dick you need to talk to me

 **April 6, 2017 5:11PM  
**From: Artemis

why is no one picking up at the manor???

 **April 6, 2017 5:37PM  
**From: Dick

hi artemis, this is barbara. i hacked  
dick’s phone.

 **April 6, 2017 5:37PM  
**From: Dick

he's alive, just on a mission.

 **April 6, 2017 5:38PM  
**From: Dick

i'm sorry about the lack of  
communication from him. we're trying.  
he’s just beyond busy right now.

 **April 6, 2017 5:40PM  
**From: Artemis

…thanks, babs.

 **April 6, 2017 5:40PM  
**From: Artemis

for what it’s worth, we miss you too.


	2. CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian has questions. Dick has reservations. Artemis has suspicions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [some dialogue taken from Red Robin]

**March 2, 2017  
** _ Bat Bunker _

“Grayson,” Damian says, breaking the liminal late-night silence of the Bunker. His voice startles Dick, who’s been working on case reports for the last half hour, but Dick hardly twitches to show it.

“Yes, D?” He asks, finishing the sentence he was typing before he turns around to face Damian, who’s putting away the tools he was using to do maintenance on their Batmobile. Their _flying_ Batmobile; Dick’s never gonna get over how awesome that is.

“Why do you not speak to your team anymore?” The question startles Dick. He thought Damian hardly cared about the team, that he might even actively scorn them.

“Where’s this coming from?” he asks.

Damian is quiet for a moment, clearly composing his thoughts.

“Ever since you took me in,” he begins, “you have stressed the importance and value of teamwork. Yet, you seem to have abandoned the very team you helped establish. I do not understand this…double standard.”

Well. Damian certainly is pulling no punches. This isn’t a conversation Dick ever really wanted to have, but he knows whatever he says here will be very important to Damian’s growth and his opinion of Dick.

“Well,” he begins, then pauses and runs a still-gauntleted hand through his messy, sweat-stiff hair. “It’s…it’s complicated.” He sighs. “Have I told you about Wally?”

Damian nods. It was hard not to know about Wally West, considering the breakdown Dick had had on the man’s birthday back in November.

“His death…really hit me hard. Harder, I think, than it did for anyone else, because I feel responsible for it. Without me, he would still be retired. He’d still be _alive_.”

Damian scoffs. “That is not how I understand it,” he interrupts. “Without him, Earth might have been destroyed. He’d most likely be dead even if he’d stayed at home, along with everyone else on the planet.”

“…Sure,” Dick says, but just to placate the boy. “Wally dying, plus the Crisis, and then Bruce’s…death, it was all a lot for me to handle. Plus, I love you, kid, don’t ever doubt that for a second, but raising Bruce’s kid because he died before he could even meet you is kind of the last thing I ever expected to happen to me.”

He sighs.

“I’m not the best role model,” Dick says with a sardonic grin. “I tend to shut myself off when stuff like this happens. I normally bounce back quicker, but…being Batman, trying to keep Gotham afloat on top of everything else has hardly given me a second to breathe and just… _deal_ with any of it.”

“But they have been actively trying to contact you,” Damian says, nose scrunched up. “Gordon and Drake complain about fielding texts and calls from them all the time.”

And this is what Dick doesn’t want to admit, especially not to Damian.

“The hardest part about this year has been being Batman,” Dick says at length. Before Damian has time to take that as a personal attack on his role as Robin, he continues, “I wanted to be Batman, once upon a time, when I was about your age. But I grew up, and I saw how being Batman was eating away at Bruce’s soul. I love Bruce with everything I have and I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunities he gave me, but sometimes the way he thought, especially after Jason’s death, scared me.”

Dick looks away. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that ever since I first put on the cowl, even back when I was just subbing for Bruce while he was on Rimbor, it’s been a constant struggle for me not to get lost in the darkness of Batman the way Bruce nearly was. Not to prioritize the mission above everything else. I just…don’t want them to see me like this.”

Damian is quiet for a long moment, then he moves to stand before Dick.

“Drake, though he is a fool, told me that Batman always needs a Robin. Is my performance not adequate? I thought we were doing quite well.”

“Oh, Damian, sweetheart,” Dick says, reaching up to place a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. It warms his heart to hear that Damian values their partnership that much. “You’ve been _phenomenal_. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have you by my side through all this. Please don’t let my own issues make you question your ability.”

Damian looks down at his feet.

“…Do not ever call me ‘sweetheart’ again, Grayson,” he says, and Dick chuckles. “I shall cut out your tongue if you ever repeat such a transgression.” Standing, Dick presses a firm kiss on the top of the kid’s head, feeling tears burn in his eyes. He blinks them away before Damian can see.

“I’m not making any promises,” he says, giving Damian a one-armed side hug. “But that’s enough heart-to-heart conversation for now. We were supposed to go to sleep _early_ tonight!”

“I mean it, Grayson,” Damian says. “Batman will have to communicate in naught but grunts and growls.”

“That’s not as far away from the norm as you think it is.”

 

* * *

 

 **April 9, 2017**  
_Wayne Penthouse_

“You missed your check-in while you were gone,” Babs says to him hardly two seconds after he steps foot in the door. Dick winces.

“Who was it this time?” he asks.

“Unlucky for you, it was Artemis,” she says. “She tried calling just about every number of ours she had trying to make sure you were still alive.” Dick frowns, feeling guilty.

“…Does she know?” he asks quietly.

Babs sighs. “I don’t think so,” she says. “Dick, why are you doing this? They’re your _friends_ , they deserve to know what’s going on in your life!”

“I don’t – “

“You don’t want them to see you being Batman, I know,” Barbara says, rolling over, maintaining steely eye contact the whole time. “But Dick, how long are you planning on keeping this up? Bruce is _dead_. Are you planning on being Batman forever and never talking to your team again? They’re going to find out eventually!”

“ _Eventually_ ,” Dick stresses. “Not now. I’m not ready for that.”

“You work with the League,” she says.

“That’s different,” Dick says. “It’s…it’s separate.”

“Zatanna and Rocket are in the League.”

“We’ve only been on one mission together, I’m pretty sure they don’t know.”

“Excuses, excuses!” Babs rolls her eyes. “I’m not gonna just sit here and watch you self destruct like this. You _need_ to have contact, have _friendships_ , with people outside the Family. I know Wally was your best friend, but the team was practically a family. If they haven’t kicked you out over the whole Kaldur and Artemis thing, then they’re not gonna care that you’re Batman. Get over it.”

They’re both quiet, staring at each other.

“Take a weekend off, Dick,” Barbara adds, tone more subdued. “We’ve got enough people to cover you for that long.”

“…I’ll think about it,” he says. He’s not sure if he’s lying or not.

 

* * *

 

**May 7, 2016  
** _ Gotham City _

It turns out the decision is made for him when Tim swoops back into Gotham with what seems like the entire League of Shadows hot on his heels and a list of people dear to Bruce that Ra’s al Ghul is targeting for assassination.

Dick and Tim are calling in every favor they have to get everyone protected in time.

Conner on Alfred. Bart on Selina Kyle. Kaldur on Jim Gordon. M’gann on Lucius Fox. Rocket on Leslie Thompson. Artemis on Babs. Steph on Vicki Vale (and Tam Fox?). Dick and Damian defending each other.

“Was coming here to foolishly confront me worth sacrificing the lives of all those your mentor held dear?” Ra’s asks Tim. “Even if the more accomplished targets survive, the others will die. Was it worth the compromise?”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” Tim says, holding up a walkie-talkie. “I’m done compromising. **_Report_**.”

And thus, the guardians sound off, every single one of them reporting a successful deflection of the assassins’ attacks. Dick feels himself smile as the familiar voices crackle over his comm.

He doesn’t have time to linger and chat, though; Tim is facing off against _Ra’s al Ghul_ without any immediate backup. It’s a good thing he didn’t stay behind, as he catches up to Tim just in time to witness Ra’s kicking his sorely beaten and barely conscious body out a window.

After that, it’s a matter of getting Tim back to the Bunker where he can be looked over by Alfred as soon as possible.

“Thank you for the help, team,” he says, actually speaking to them for the first time in almost a full year. There’s a moment of silence, then they all scramble to speak, yelling over each other.

“ _Nightwing? Is that you?!_ ”

“ _Where have you **been?** ”_

“ _Where are you, we’re coming to you!_ ”

Dick smiles. Maybe Babs was right; hearing their voices, their blatant concern is like a balm to his grieving soul.

“You guys did a good job tonight,” he says, “but Red Robin took a beating tonight and I need to get him medical attention ASAP. We can catch up another time.”

 

* * *

 

**May 7, 2016  
** _ Batcave _

In the moments after the fight, after Artemis is done watching Babs thoroughly trounce a set of League assassins with nothing but escrima sticks, after she reports to Tim, after she hears Dick’s voice for the first time in almost a year, Artemis allows herself to breathe.

Barbara had retired just scant months after Wally’s death, talking about wanting to focus on college. It was a flimsy excuse, especially since Artemis knew that Barbara Gordon could ace about any class she wanted to in her sleep, but with herself still struggling to deal with Wally’s death and suddenly helping Roy look after her baby niece Lian, follow-ups had fallen to the wayside.

For a moment, she sees her mother superimposed over her friend. She shakes her head, dislodging the illusion.

Now, she wishes she’d tried to reach out.

“For someone trying to get out the life, you certainly just kicked some major butt,” Artemis says as she leans down to secure their assailants.

Babs huffs out a laugh.

“Once a Bat, always a Bat,” she says.

Truly. Damn the Bats and their secrets.

Instead of picking a fight, though, Artemis just asks, “Nice technique. You work on that with Dick?” She nods her head at the escrima sticks.

Babs nods. “Yup.”

“Sexy,” Artemis says, coyly. “Are you guys still together?”

“In sickness and in health,” Babs says. When Artemis can’t help but gasp at that, Babs laughs. “Don’t worry, we’re not married,” she says, holding her hand up to show Artemis her bare ring finger.

“I feel like there’s a ‘ _yet_ ’ in there, somewhere,” Artemis teases. Babs rolls her eyes.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” she says. “Besides, Dick has…other commitments he needs to focus on right now.”

“Any chances you’ll let slip what those ‘ _other commitments_ ’ might be?” Artemis asks, shamelessly digging for information.

“As much as I hate seeing him seclude himself from you guys like this, it’s not my place to tell. I’ve been wheedling him, but for someone so flexible he’s certainly quite stubborn. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

Artemis blinks.

“Oh my _god_ ,” she says, counting the months on her fingers. _“July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March_ – Barbara, did Dick _knock somebody up?!_ ”

For a moment, Babs stares, then she openly guffaws.

“Oh, god,” she wheezes, wiping away tears. “Oh my god. That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in _ages_. No,” she says, gaining some composure over herself. “There is no newborn.” There’s a funny twist to her lips that has Artemis thinking Babs is being very deliberate about her word choice.

“Hm,” she says. “Fine. Keep your secrets, woman.” Sighing, she looks down at the three assassins she’s going to have to deal with in some way. “What am I supposed to do with these guys?” She mutters. They’re _ninja_. She highly doubts the GCPD will be able to hold onto them.

“You can dump ‘em over the waterfall,” Babs jokes, jerking a thumb over her shoulder where the platform they’re chatting on drops down into what Artemis knows looks like a bottomless pit. “I won’t tell.” Artemis snorts.

Looking around, though, really seeing her surroundings for the first time, Artemis notices that most of the stuff in the Cave is covered by heavy dustsheets.

“What’s going on in here?” she asks. Instead of a straightforward answer, Babs just purses her lips.

“We’re mostly operating out of a Bunker in the city right now,” she says instead in way of explanation.

“Is that so…” Artemis muses, staring up at the giant penny. God, but had she laughed the first time Dick had brought her there and showed it to her.

“…C’mon,” Babs says. “If we hurry, we have a ten percent chance of getting these guys to my dad before they ingest cyanide.”

 

* * *

 

 **May 10, 2017 9:12AM  
**From: Artemis

mgann says if she’s not invited to  
the wedding and part of the   
wedding party she’s gonna go back  
to mars and never speak to any of   
us again

 **May 10, 2017 9:46AM  
**From: Dick

m'gann does know the wedding   
is fake

 **May 10, 2017, 9:46AM  
**From: Dick

right?

 **May 10, 2017 9:58AM  
**From: Artemis

yes

 **May 10, 2017 9:58AM  
**From: Artemis

the point still stands

 

* * *

 

**May 13, 2017  
** _ Watchtower _

Artemis is tucked away in a corner of the cafeteria when she spots Batman glide in. She’s only seen him in passing this past year (where was he last week?), but something seems…different. She can’t quite put her finger on it. Perhaps Batman has made some changes to his uniform? She could have sworn he normally had three spikes on his gauntlets instead of just two.

Batman goes right for Bart. He speaks quietly, enough so that Artemis’ regular old human ears can’t hear him from across the room.

Bart just nods and stands. He’s got an odd look on his face, like he’s both in awe and terribly sad at the same time. Artemis assumes it’s another future thing and hopes Batman isn’t about to pester the boy for secrets about the future.

Batman spots her on their way out. His gaze lingers on Artemis for just a moment, an unreadable expression flickering across what’s visible of his face for a fraction of a second before he’s schooled it again and leaves the room.

… _Curiouser and curiouser_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually have all of this written but i'm not gonna post it all at once.
> 
> anyway. godDAMN do i love me some good borderline dad dick. he and damian have me in my uwus


	3. CONFRONTATIONS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conner goes to Gotham to have a conversation, but finds someone unexpected. The team has some pieces, but can't figure out how to put them together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was supposed to be posted yesterday but i came home, ate dinner, and then immediately slept for 11 hours. guys, your body falls apart SO QUICKLY after you turn 22.

**May 13, 2017  
** _ Watchtower _

“…You knew,” Dick says when the door to the private, soundproofed room shuts behind him. “You _knew_ all of this was going to happen.” Dick understands why Bart can’t spill all the future’s secrets to them without a care in the world, but Christ, _the death of Batman_ should be an exception. Bart came back to save his grandfather; why wasn’t Bruce good enough for the same treatment?

Bart’s still looking at him with that weird look on his face, like he can’t decide if he wants Dick’s autograph or if he wants to start crying.

“Bart,” he says. “ _Did you know_.”

“…Not really,” Bart manages eventually. “The Crisis didn’t happen in my timeline. You…became Batman because Bruce Wayne was executed with the other League members on Rimbor, not because Darkseid killed him.”

Dick sighs. There’s no point in arguing about it now.

“Do you know Bruce’s current fate?” he asks instead. Bart makes a confused face.

“Uh,” he tries. “He’s…dead, right?” Interesting. So Bart really _doesn’t_ have any idea what’s going on with Bruce. Well, at least Bart wasn’t _purposefully_ withholding his help and expertise with time travel.

“According to evidence Tim and Hal Jordan found, that doesn’t appear to be the case,” Dick says.

Bart perks up.

“Batman’s _alive?_ ”

“Sort of,” Dick allows. “As far as we can tell, whatever Darkseid shot Bruce with didn’t kill him – it shot him back in time, and he’s spent the past year lost in it, being thrown across history.”

Bart’s eyes got big and sparkly at that.

“Batman? _Time traveling?_ Wait, is this why Tim was asking me questions a while back? Crash!”

“Not for me,” Dick says wryly. Bart immediately looks contrite. "But yes, that's probably why Tim was asking you questions. He believed Batman was alive before any of the rest of us."

“Sorry,” Bart says. “Is that why you wanted to talk to me? To see if I can help get him back?”

“Yeah,” Dick says. “You’ve got an open invitation to Gotham for as long as this takes to resolve.”

“Holy shit, really?” Bart knows that’s no offer given lightly.

“Really, Bart,” Dick says. “This is my father’s life, I’m not joking.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Batman 2, sir!” Bart says, saluting him. Dick can’t help but laugh. Judging by Bart’s reaction, Batman and laughing shouldn’t go together.

“…Batman?” Bart says, quietly for once, as they head back to the zeta tubes. “I promise I won’t tell the team.”

Dick looks down at the boy wearing his best friend’s colors, and wonders just how well his alternate future self knew Bart Allen.

“Thanks, kid,” he says.

 

* * *

 

 **July 3, 2017**  
_Gotham City_

Dick had his chance. Now, almost two months later, Conner is standing in front of the gates to Wayne Manor, wondering why no one is answering his request to be buzzed in. He’s about sixty seconds away from hopping the fence and knocking down the front door, no meta rule and secret identities be damned.

That is, until he hears someone behind him.

He whirls around, thinking perhaps Alfred managed to sneak up on him while he was lost in thought, and is instead met with the barrel of a gun and a guy who looks like a motorcycle-themed villain. _God_ , why is Gotham like this?

“Step away from the gate,” the guy in the red motorcycle helmet says. His helmet has some voice modulator in it, making it sound tinny, but Conner is focused on the guy’s heartbeat. It’s – well, it’s still beating faster than the average human resting heart rate, but it’s slower than most people’s is when realizing they’re standing on the opposite line of a Super. That’s never good. It almost sounds familiar, too, which hardly does anything to ease his nerves.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Conner asks.

“I’m the Red Hood, and I just told you – step away from the gate.”

Conner raises his hands, but cocks an eyebrow and doesn’t move.

“Fucking _Supers_ ,” the guy mutters, and now that Conner’s really looking and listening it’s obvious that the kid can’t be older than nineteen. More than that, though, Conner is focused on what he just heard the guy say.

“Excuse me?” he asks, trying to channel Clark’s stupid mild-mannered reporter act as much as possible. “You must have me confused with someone else.”

“Nah,” the guy says, disturbingly cheerfully. “Conner Kent, aka Kon-El, aka _the Superboy_. I’m _pretty_ freakin’ sure I know who you are. Now step away from the gate before I load this gun with Kryptonite bullets.”

It feels like Conner’s just had a bucket of ice water dumped over his head. Still, he steels himself, trying to maintain his composure.

“And I’m just supposed to let some madman with a gun go attack the Waynes? I don’t think so, buddy,” Conner scoffs, standing his ground.

Hood stares at him for a moment, then sighs. He makes an abortive move with his free hand that Conner suspects would have been a facepalm or a pinch to the bridge of his nose if he wasn’t wearing the helmet.

“Christ,” Hood says, “I know we’ve been keeping stuff on the DL, but I didn’t realize he hasn’t been telling you _anything_. God, Dick, what the fuck?”

“What? What did you say about Dick?” Conner barks.

“Relax, Kent, don’t get your panties in a twist; Dick and I are old pals,” Hood says, then holsters his gun before reaching up and removing his helmet, revealing the smirking face of a long-dead boy. Conner feels his heart freeze for a moment before he’s nearly overcome with rage.

“What the fuck?!” He exclaims, gesticulating angrily. “He _told_ us he wasn’t faking anymore deaths! How could he do this, after everything we went through last year?” He grinds the heels of his palms into his eyes, trying to press back his rage and the headache he can feel growing. “God, who did he have _you_ spying on?”

Jason’s mask covers his eyebrows, but when Conner looks up he can still tell the boy has an eyebrow cocked. “Well,” he says, “that sounds like a _fascinating_ story, but I’m afraid there was no faking of my death. The Joker really did beat me bloody before blowing me up. Some higher power must have a grudge against me, though, because six months after I was buried I dug myself out of my own grave. I _was_ on a personal mission to make Daddy Dearest pay for never properly avenging me, but…” he trails off, looking away. “Circumstances have changed due to recent events.”

Anger fades to horror as Conner listens to Jason, then back to anger again when Jason continues the Bat Family tradition of being The Most Cryptic Assholes Ever.

“I hate you Bats _so much_ ,” Conner swears, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is _anyone_ ever going to tell us _what_ , exactly, has been going on in Gotham for the past year? Would it actually kill you all to be open and honest and not cryptic for once in your stupid lives?”

“’Fraid so,” Jason smirks. “But sorry, we’re dealing with personal stuff right now. Plans that can’t be interrupted, you get the idea. If all goes well you’ll find out soon enough, but for now you need to stay out of our business. No coming to Gotham unless you’re invited.”

“I just want to know if Dick is okay!”

Jason is quiet for a long moment. “I think he’s better now than he’s been in a while,” he says, voice serious. “Especially now that we have proof that…” he trails off. “Point is, the Golden Child is fine. He’s not here at the Manor, anyway, they all moved to that place in the city.”

Oh. Well, Tim _had_ directed him to an underground Bunker to protect Alfred when that attack happened, not to the Manor. Duh.

“He’s got some seriously dedicated friends,” Jason says, sounding almost bitter. “I don’t know why he’s being such a dumbass about all this. We’ve all been telling him to talk to you guys, but he’s being a regular old Atlas and trying to bear the weight of the entire world by himself.” He shakes his head.

“I don’t know how many more times we have to say it, but pass along that we’ll always be there for him, no matter what,” Conner says.

“I’m not your messenger boy, but sure, whatever,” Jason says. “Now scram. I’ve got a drug ring I need to terrorize, and you’re holding me up.”

“Sure,” Conner says, mounting his bike. “And Jason? I’m glad you’re alive.”

It’s something he’s been trying to vocalize to his friends more often, that he values their existence. Ever since the panic attack he’d had over Dick’s terrifying message on his birthday, Conner has put an effort into making sure his friends know he cares about them and that they’re not unwanted. Unlike Dick’s panic-inducing response, Jason merely freezes, then shrugs.

“Thanks,” is all he says. Conner nods, then puts his helmet on and drives away.

The team will want to hear about this.

 

* * *

 

 _Group Chat: OG Dick Grayson Protection Squad_  
Artemis, Kaldur, M’gann, Conner, Wally  
4 online

 **July 3, 2017 4:26PM  
**From: Conner

I went to Gotham today to try and  
speak to Dick.

 **July 3, 2017 4:26PM  
**From: Conner

You will literally never guess who  
I ran into while trying to get into  
the Manor.

 **July 3, 2017 4:27PM  
**From: Artemis

i’m guessing it wasn’t dick :/

 **July 3, 2017 4:27PM  
**From: Conner

No.

 **July 3, 2017 4:27PM  
**From: Conner

Guys, I don’t know how it’s  
possible, but Jason’s alive.

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Conner

Like, living, breathing, waving  
a gun in my face and having  
some revenge plan against  
the Joker alive.

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Artemis

what

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Artemis

JASON TODD?

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Artemis

JASON PETER TODD???

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Artemis

ROBIN 2.0??? THAT JASON?

 **July 3, 2017 4:28PM  
**From: Artemis

is this how you guys felt with me bc  
i'm SO sorry jesus christ why is dick  
doing this again

 **July 3, 2017 4:29PM  
**From: Conner

He swore he was actually dead,  
that it wasn’t faked. He didn’t  
give me any details beyond  
the fact that he apparently  
dug himself out of his own  
grave six months after he  
died.

 **July 3, 2017 4:30PM  
**From: M’gann

Conner, are you sure it was  
actually him?

 **July 3, 2017 4:30PM  
**From: Kaldur

M’gann has a point, Conner.

 **July 3, 2017 4:31PM  
**From: Kaldur

The obvious factor of Jason’s  
death aside, it seems  
uncharacteristic that Batman  
would allow his son to carry  
around guns and plan to kill  
the Joker.

 **July 3, 2017 4:31PM  
**From: Conner

He knew my secret ID and  
the Bats’ secret IDs. If that  
doesn’t scream “Bat” to you then  
I don’t know what else will.

 **July 3, 2017 4:31PM  
**From: Artemis

ACTUALLY.

 **July 3, 2017 4:32PM  
**From: Artemis

i know the bat is probs spying on  
us 24/7 and can read all these messages  
(hi mr. batman) but.

 **July 3, 2017 4:32PM  
**From: Artemis

idk maybe i'm not the best judge of this  
bc i don’t know the bat super well to begin  
with but i saw him in the caff with bart  
yesterday and…

 **July 3, 2017 4:33PM  
**From: Artemis

idk. something about him just looked…  
Different.

 **July 3, 2017 4:33PM  
**From: Conner

Why would he be meeting with  
Bart?

 **July 3, 2017 4:33PM  
**From: Conner

Also, I can’t even remember  
the last time I saw Batman  
in person.

 **July 3, 2017 4:34PM  
**From: Conner

Jason seemed to be implying  
that something big was going  
down in Gotham soon, though.

 **July 3, 2017 4:34PM  
**From: Conner

He was saying something  
about them finally having  
“proof,” but he didn’t say  
proof of what.

 

 **July 3, 2017 4:34PM  
**From: M’gann

Actually, Conner, wasn’t Tim looking  
for Bart that one time we saw him in  
the Watchtower?

 **July 3, 2017 4:34PM  
**From: Conner

Yeah, you’re right…

 **July 3, 2017 4:35PM  
**From: Kaldur

That raises some questions.

 **July 3, 2017 4:35PM  
**From: Kaldur

But still, Artemis has a point. Where  
was Batman when the Shadows  
attacked Gotham?

 **July 3, 2017 4:36PM  
**From: Conner

Why has the family apparently  
moved out of the Manor? Jason  
told me they were in some place  
in the city now.

 **July 3, 2017 4:36PM  
**From: Conner

When the attack happened, Alfred  
was in a bunker instead of the  
Manor or Cave.

 **July 3, 2017 4:36PM  
**From: Conner

(Guys, the new Batmobile is SO cool.)

 **July 3, 2017 4:37PM  
**From: M’gann

Why won’t Tim or anyone else  
talk to us?

 **July 3, 2017 4:37PM  
**From: Artemis

actually

 **July 3, 2017 4:37PM  
**From: Artemis

did you guys know about babs?

 **July 3, 2017 4:38PM  
**From: Kaldur

Know what?

 **July 3, 2017 4:38PM  
**From: Artemis

i don’t think her retirement was  
her choice

 **July 3, 2017 4:38PM  
**From: Artemis

i mean, she definitely did not need  
my help to protect herself, but

 **July 3, 2017 4:39PM  
**From: Artemis

she's in a wheelchair now

 **July 3, 2017 4:39PM  
**From: Conner

And no one thought to TELL us?

 **July 3, 2017 4:40PM  
**From: M’gann

I don’t mean to be rude, but that’s  
kind of the nature of the Bats. I just  
wish they would realize they can  
trust us with stuff beyond their lives.

 **July 3, 2017 4:40PM  
**From: Kaldur

Remember when Dick was 13 and we  
thought it was irritating, but cute?

 **July 3, 2017 4:40PM  
**From: Artemis

omg you’re not the one he stalked at  
school :/

 **July 3, 2017 4:41PM  
**From: Artemis

anyway. bats. suspicious, yay or nay?

 

 **July 3, 2017 4:41PM  
**From: Conner

Yay.

 **July 3, 2017 4:41PM  
**From: M’gann

Yay.

 **July 3, 2017 4:41PM  
**From: Kaldur

Yay.

 **July 3, 2017 4:42PM  
**From: Artemis

cool. glad we have a consensus

 **July 3, 2017 4:42PM  
**From: Conner

What do we do now?

 **July 3, 2017 4:42PM  
**From: Artemis

not a clue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (yes wally is in the chat even though he's dead because no one wants to take him out. if wally hypothetically came back to life and checked his phone he'd have a LOT of unread messages to go through, and dick would soon be getting a lot of angry calls/texts over all the stupid shit he's done since wally died that his friends complained about in the gc)
> 
> anyway, shit goes down next chapter!
> 
> mmm i forgot to mention it on the other chapters but you can find me on tumblr @ [foxlesbian](http://foxlesbian.tumblr.com/) and twitter @ [uzushiogakures](https://twitter.com/uzushiogakures).


	4. THUNDERBOLTS AND LIGHTNING

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit goes down. Conversations are had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [some dialogue/stuff from batman: return of bruce wayne] 
> 
> i'd just like it to be said that i had to read that goddamn comic like 3 times AND rely on someone else's issue-by-issue breakdown in order to understand WHAT was going on and how exactly bruce came back, so FUCK grant morrison and his shitty writing. i still have no fucking idea what the timeline is for when bruce fully came back and when he showed up in gotham, but it's comics. whatever. 
> 
> ps i made v minor edits to the convo between dick and bart last chapter to reflect the fact that tim had actually had a convo w tim at some point, so if you noticed that plot hole, it's fixed now.

**July 16, 2017  
** _ Watchtower _

Tim’s speaking before the Justice League. He’s done it before, but under what feels like far less pressing circumstances. This right here, this moment, is everything he’s been risking his life for and working toward for the past year. If this fails, if this goes wrong and some way and Bruce truly does die…Tim’s not sure how (or _if_ ) he’ll manage.

Well. It’s not the full League roster – a good chunk of them have been called away to deal with a natural disaster somewhere, and Superman’s team is still trying to follow Bruce through time – and the team’s been ordered off the Watchtower as well in case this goes poorly. It’s not that he doubts them, but nobody wants to send somebody who isn’t intimately familiar with Bruce and his fighting style up against what will probably be (at minimum) a mildly unhinged Batman charged with time-destroying energy.

“You’ve heard what Red Robin has to say,” Wonder Woman says once he’s finished his spiel. “…Batman is our friend, but we can’t allow him to endanger the safety of the entire world. You all know what to do.”

When the alarms start screeching about a temporal breech and an unknown intruder scant minutes later, Tim knows the moment is upon them. He seals the hall he’s in, shutting himself off from the rest of the League just as a time sphere materializes and…well…someone (or some _thing_ ) that looks like Bruce appeares.

“Batman,” Tim says, trying not to let on how much the scene in front of him is terrifying him.

“ **I’m Batman,** ” the entity says in an odd, distorted voice. The glow of a single piercing red eye is deeply unsettling. Tim’s not even sure his mouth is moving. “ **Are you here to stop me?** ”

And then suddenly there’s lightening in the room, sparking and arcing off everything. Tim steps back, raising his cape to protect himself, then with an ear-shattering _BANG!_ he finds himself looking at _Wally West_.

“Ohmigod,” he says. Wally’s on his feet, but hunched over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. Wally’s _alive_.

“Oh…oh man, I am _never_ doing that again,” the speedster says weakly.

Of course, that’s when his League backup manages to break through the door.

“ _Wally?_ ” Flash gasps, looking like he’s on the verge of tears. Were this literally _any other situation_ , Tim wouldn’t blame him for suddenly losing focus on the real issue. But as it is…

“Guys!” Cyborg cuts in, eyes wide in horror as he looks at Bruce. “That suit’s reading off the scale! Bring him down, we need to end this!”

“No! Wait!” Tim begs, but it’s futile. The League jumps in and initiates an attack before anyone can fully assess the situation. Tim pulls Wally off to the side, to an alcove where he guides the exhausted speedster down to sit on the floor. Wally looks like he’s barely conscious, and he’s going to need food _soon_ if they don’t want him to die, but Bruce has not let up on his attacks. Tim hardly has a second to breathe before Bruce, in his frenzied, amnesiac state has taken down everyone who attacked him with hardly any effort. Gulping, he decides it’s time for his attempt. Violence doesn't seem to work against this Bruce, especially with the assistance of _whatever_ it is he's wearing right now.

“Batman,” Tim says, approaching…techno-Bruce in what he hopes is a non-threatening manner, “it’s me. I knew you weren’t dead, I knew it,” he says, pulling back his cowl, hoping the sight of his face is familiar enough to spark something. “When Darkseid shot you back in time, I was the one that knew that corpse couldn’t be you. I knew you’d leave messages if you could, and I knew you’d find a way back. I’m _Tim_ , I’m your _partner_ , and you have to listen to me.”

Bruce is barely there, Tim can tell. His memory is patchy at best, and whatever techno-suit he’s enveloped in is having an effect on his mind and personality as well.

“If something’s wrong, you have to let us help you. We can’t lose you again. Partners, Bruce,” Tim says. For a second, he thinks he might be getting through to him, but the moment fades when Diana shows up with the 3,000 year old cape and cowl in her hand, the decaying fabric visibly giving off startling amounts of Omega radiation.

She gets Bruce with her lasso, and Bruce seems to remember himself as he talks, but even with all the research Tim has done on Darkseid, he doesn’t understand half of what he’s saying.

Then the weird techno-suit is possessed, and time is fracturing, then Superman and the rest of the gang that went after Bruce in time is back, and then finally – _finally_ – they manage to pry the possessed suit (the Hyper-Adaptor?) off and _out_ of Bruce before shutting it in a time sphere set to self-destruct.

Tim feels distant from his body as he watches Diana and Clark frantically try to suck the Omega radiation out of Bruce’s body and bring his temperature down. He’s clinically dead, the clock is ticking, and Tim knows without a shadow of a doubt that if Bruce doesn’t recover then he will die. He can’t handle it, not after everything.

“I know how to bring him back,” Tim says. “Tell him Gotham’s in trouble. Tell him he’ll need _this_.” He hoists up the tattered and disintegrating prehistoric cowl, and hardly a moment passes before Bruce is on his feet and vomiting up black, toxic-looking sludge.

“Oh, _thank Hera_ ,” he hears Diana say faintly. Over Bruce’s shoulder, Tim can see silent tears of relief pouring down Clark’s cheeks.

“ _Tim_ ,” Bruce pants, gasping for breath, and that single utterance of his name is perhaps the most wonderful sound Tim’s heard in his entire life. “Tim, what happened?”

 

* * *

 

**July 19, 2016  
** _ Batcave _

Somehow, _somehow_ , everything worked out in the end. Bruce made it down to Gotham in time to save everyone, they got Dr. Mid-Nite down to Gotham to perform brain surgery on Dick before it was too late, and they got Wally hooked up to an IV and began pumping him with nutrients before he wasted away. For better or for worse, Jason shot the Joker in the head and killed him.

Then came the _conversations_.

Bruce wakes up to find he’s in a bed in the Cave’s medbay next to Dick. His son is awake and remarkably alert considering the surgery he’d had done just days ago, but Dr. Mid-Nite is nothing if skilled and Bruce is confident his boy won’t be staying in that bed for long. Dick is quiet, gazing down at the small form of a young boy tucked against his side and sleeping, his gaze unbearably fond as he runs a gentle hand through the boy’s hair.

The Robin Bruce had caught scarcely more than a glimpse of the other night, he presumes. Where did he come from?

“Dick?” Bruce asks, his voice rough but low, as he does not want to wake either the boy or Tim, who is dozing at Bruce’s side.

“…Bruce,” Dick says, his voice soft as well. When he looks over at Bruce, there are tears in his eyes. “Bruce, I’m so glad you’re alive, thank god – “

“Hey now, chum,” Bruce says, “Let’s save the tears for later when you can actually hug me like I know you want to.” Dick lets out a watery chuckle. “Dick,” Bruce says, “Who’s the kid?”

Dick looks at him for a moment, his gaze sad yet happy at the same time.

“Congratulations, Bruce,” he says, face crinkling into a smile, “it’s a boy.”

“…What?” Bruce manages, feeling like maybe he should’ve waited until he was awake at least an hour before he attempted this conversation. “He’s – “

“Yours, yup,” Dick says. “Damian Wayne, brought to us by the courtesy of the Talia al Ghul Express.” He presses a kiss to the kid’s head – his _son’s_ head – and the boy grumbles.

 _Fuck_.

The thought of his son ( _His_ son! A child whose existence he was completely unaware of!) being raised in the very center of the viper’s nest that is the League of Shadows makes his stomach churn.

“He’s amazing, B,” Dick says, “He’s come so far since he made his way to us, you’ll be so proud.”

Damian squirms, clearly waking up. He stretches, then yawns loudly.

“Grayson,” he says, sounding incredibly grouchy. “I am not your personal soft toy. Do not treat me as such.”

Dick grins. “That’s no way to talk to someone recovering from brain surgery,” he says. “Anyway, turn around – look who’s awake, too!” Damian freezes, then slowly turns around.

The sight of his face takes Bruce’s breath away. It’s uncanny; like looking at a living, breathing picture of himself from 25 years ago. Damian’s skin is darker, and his eyes are Talia’s green instead of his own blue, but the boy is so clearly his son that it hurts.

“Father…” the boy says, a hint of uncertainty in his voice as he tries out the address for the first time.

“Damian,” he says, sounding his son’s name out for the first time. “Come here,” he says, “let me see you.” Damian glances at Dick, who grins and gives him an encouraging nod. Damian slides of Dick’s bed and steps over to stand at Bruce’s side.

They sit there for a moment, simply drinking in the sight of each other’s faces. Bruce takes one of Damian’s hands (small, impossibly small, but roughly calloused all the same) in his own, and cups the boy’s face in his other.

“Look at you,” he says in wonderment. His heart feels fit to burst, looking at this impossible son he never thought he’d have. He trusts Dick and Alfred and everyone else to have run the proper DNA tests to certify Damian’s paternity, but even if he didn’t, he’d know this boy was his son just by looking at his face.

“I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Father,” Damian says somewhat stiffly, a light blush dusting the tips of his ears.

“As am I with you,” he says, drawing Damian in for a hug. He goes stiff in his arms for a moment, then bit by bit relaxes into the embrace.

“Damn, look at that,” Dick says from the side. “You just got a Bruce Hug; that’s special. You know your old man only gives out like five of those a year?”

“C’mere, chum,” Bruce says, grinning into his son’s hair. “I can tell you want in on this.”

Dick doesn’t have to be asked twice, slower than usual but still eagerly easing himself out of bed and capturing his father and brother in his strong arms.

“We doin’ a group hug?” Tim yawns from his spot beside Bruce. Without hesitating, despite Damian’s protests, he joins the group hug as well.

“Alright, alright,” Bruce says when everyone pulls back. “Where’s Alfred?”

Suddenly, his boys go quiet and share a significant glance.

“Uh,” Tim says, and the only reason Bruce doesn’t leap straight to the worst conclusion is because he _just_ saw Alfred the other night.

“ _Well_ …” Damian tries, then looks to Dick. Dick sighs.

“The thing is, Bruce,” Dick says, scratching the back of his neck, “You’re not the only one who, ah, returned from the dead, per say.”

“What?” Bruce blinks. “Oh, are we talking about Wally? I thought I remembered him being there when I showed up on the Watchtower.”

Dick’s face goes white.

“ _Wally?”_ He breathes. “Wally’s _alive?_ ”

“Ah, yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, Dick,” Tim says, sheepishly. “That was next on the agenda.”

“Wait,” Bruce cuts in. “If you’re _not_ talking about Wally, then who is presumably keeping Alfred company?”

“That’d be me, old man.”

The breath freezes in his chest and Bruce swears he feels his heart stop. All sound fades away as he turns, looking over to see an impossible face approach, flanked by a stern-looking Alfred.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred says. “I must insist you let the young master tell his whole story before you jump to any conclusions or make any rash decisions.”

“Jason?” Bruce breathes, feeling his fingers shake. “Jason, is that you? How are you _here?_ ” He looks at Dick imploringly. “How long was I away? _What happened?_ ”

“Hey, what did Alfie just tell you?” Jason gives Bruce a pointed look. “Let me explain.” He takes in a deep breath, then launches into his spiel. “So, long story short: I died, and then I woke up, but I had some serious brain damage, so when Talia found me on the streets she dumped me in a Lazarus Pit to heal it. It worked, and then I realized the kid who kept following Talia around was _your kid_ , so I grabbed him and we booked it to Gotham, right in time to miss your ‘death.’” He claps his hands together. “Any questions?”

Bruce blinks, feeling like he was just run over by a car. That wasn’t _half_ an explanation. That wasn’t even a _tenth!_

“A lot, actually,” he manages, “but most of it will have to wait until I’m more on my feet, I assume.”

“Pardon me, Master Jason,” Alfred cuts in, “but there is _one_ more thing your father should be aware of.”

“Oh. Right,” Jason says, his face suddenly going stony. “The Joker’s dead.”

Bruce can feel everyone’s intent gazes on him, but he can’t take his eyes off Jason. He looks on guard, putting up an illusion of bravado when he’s really one wrong word away from bolting like a rabbit. Bruce focuses on that, focuses on the hidden fear, uses it to ground himself, because if he doesn’t then he’s afraid he might lose it and shatter this moment.

“Did you…?” Bruce asks slowly. Jason nods.

Bruce breathes out. This is…this is way too much information to be shoving on him all at once, even though it’s all _necessary_ information. But this is…this is _huge_. This will have an _enormous_ impact not just on their family, but also on the future of crime fighting in Gotham.

“I’m not sorry,” Jason says. He crosses his arms. “I’m not. I know you don’t like it, and that’s fine, but I refuse to apologize for doing what I needed to do.”

“I…understand,” Bruce says, each word careful, because _trust him_ , he understands Jason’s rage. “Is this…Will you…continue?”

“Continue killing villains?” Jason asks, raising an eyebrow. Bruce nods. “…I don’t think so, no. I thought I would, but with the Joker dead…I don’t feel the rage that was motivating me to think like that anymore. Unless the Joker manages to come back, I’m swearing off killing.”

“Pit madness,” Damian says. “There is still much we don’t know about the Pit and its effects, but vengeance upon the one who hurt you has been known to help with the symptoms.”

“That makes sense,” Bruce agrees. He looks Jason in the eye, then deliberately reaches out to him. “C’mere, Jaylad. You missed out on the group hug earlier.”

“Are you crazy?” Jason jerks back. “Did you leave your mind back with the cavemen? Bruce, I _killed_ the _Joker_. He’s dead, at my own hand! That makes me a murderer! Why are you asking me for a _hug?_ ”

“Because you’re my son, and I’ve missed you more than you can possibly imagine,” Bruce says calmly. “Jason, don’t get me wrong. I’m upset that you’ve killed. We _will_ talk about that later. But the only reason the Joker isn’t dead at _my_ hands is because I knew that once I started killing, I wouldn’t stop. If you think that this is the only time you’ll cross that line, if you can swear that to me, then I believe you. I trust you. Now, come here. This is a family bonding moment.”

Jason’s chin quivers as he visibly fights back tears before diving into Bruce’s arms.

“You stupid old man,” Jason says, crying into Bruce’s shoulder. “I hate you so much. Don’t you ever die on us again.”

Bruce smiles, feeling whole for the first time in years with the weight of his son in his arms. “I love you too, Jaylad,” he says.

 

* * *

 

 _Group Chat: OG Dick Grayson Protection Squad_  
Artemis, Kaldur, M’gann, Conner, Wally  
0 online

_OVERRIDE, ??? added Barbara to the chat.  
1 online_

**July 20, 2017 3:17AM  
**From: Barbara

artemis was wrong. it wasn’t  
bruce spying on this chat, it  
was me.

 **July 20, 2017 3:17AM  
**From: Barbara

anyway. hey guys. you  
need to get to the watchtower  
ASAP.

 **July 20, 2017 3:18AM  
**From: Barbara

we're sorry for keeping this   
under wraps for so long but  
we needed to make sure   
he was actually going to  
survive.

 **July 20, 2017 3:18AM  
**From: Barbara

the “bat business” you’ve  
all been complaining about  
had an unexpected (but happy)  
result.

_5 online_

**July 20, 2017 3:20AM  
**From: Artemis

babs what the hell it’s 3am

 **July 20, 2017 3:20AM  
**From: Artemis

is dick ok???

 **July 20, 2017 3:20AM  
**From: Barbara

yes, the surgery went  
well. dick's fine.

 **July 20, 2017 3:21AM  
**From: Barbara

he's not who i was talking  
about, though

 

 **July 20, 2017 3:21AM  
**From: Conner

SURGERY?

 **July 20, 2017 3:21AM  
**From: Conner

What KIND of surgery??

 **July 20, 2017 3:21AM  
**From: Artemis

oh my god babs what the fuck this  
is the kind of stuff we’d like to be  
informed about

 **July 20, 2017 3:22AM  
**From: M’gann

If Dick isn’t the one you hacked this  
chat about, then who is?

 **July 20, 2017 3:22AM  
**From: Barbara

i told you, you need  
to go to the watchtower  
and see for yourself.

 **July 20, 2017 3:23AM  
**From: Kaldur

Barbara?

_4 online_

**July 20, 2017 3:23AM  
**From: Kaldur

…Very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [does jazz hands] AUs! 
> 
> i feel like im handwaving a lot of stuff in order to maximize hugs and forehead kisses (my ultimate weakness) and maybe that's true but also?? this is my fic and i don't give a fuck. i wrote this whole thing in 24 hours, this is definitely me just indulging myself. 
> 
> anyway, i know that in the b&r comics they say dick needs brain surgery, but it didn't really look like what he got was like...full brain surgery, if you get what i mean. there was also no indication of how long it took him recover, so i really have no idea if im being loosey-goosey with his recovery time frame here or not.
> 
> also im not ragging on anyone but i refuse to write anything where damian's conception isn't fully consensual. i eschew fucking grant morrison's evil heartless bitch talia characterization.


	5. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reunion everyone's been waiting for.

**July 20, 2017  
** _ Watchtower _

At this hour, the Watchtower is largely deserted. Looking around for a hint as to why she’s been all but ordered to zeta there in the middle of the night, Artemis shivers, wishing she’d thought to throw on a sweatshirt or something before she beamed up. Why does she always forget how cold the Watchtower is?

“Any idea what we’re doing up here?” she yawns and asks Kaldur.

“None at all,” he says. “I assume we’re waiting for one of the Bats to show up, since Barbara implied this all had to do with _whatever_ they’ve been doing for the past year.”

“This better be worth it,” Conner grumbles. He’s squinting and sleep ruffled, looking like he rolled out of bed just two seconds ago. M’gann is leaning into his side, on the verge of falling back asleep against him.

As if on cue, the zeta tubes light up, the announcer’s voice deafening in the mid-night quiet.

“ _Recognized, Red Robin: B20, Robin: B24, Oracle: B16, Batman: 02, Batman: B01._ ”

“Uh, did I just hear _two_ Batmans?” Conner asks, staring at the figures emerging from the zeta tubes.

Sure enough, when the zeta beams fade the team find that Conner was right – there _are_ two Batmans. Batmen.

“What the _fuck_ ,” Artemis says, stunned, and suddenly it _clicks_.

“Dick!” M’gann cries out, flying at the smaller of the two Batmen. “Dick, oh my god, are you okay? It’s been ages, how dare you! And then Barbara woke us up this morning saying you had _surgery?_ ” She wraps him in a tight hug, which he eagerly returns.

“He got shot in the head,” Robin says.

“ _What?!_ ”

“Hey guys,” Dick says, sounding unbearably happy as he totally ignores their upset over his health. “I missed you, too.”

Conner, Kaldur, and Artemis draw close. Conner and Kaldur are smiling, while Artemis has a fierce scowl on her face.

“Nuh-uh,” she says, waving a finger at Dick. “You’re not getting off _that_ easily, Boy Wonder. You can’t just _disappear_ on us for a _year_ and then waltz back in like nothing’s happened. What’s been going _on_ with you?”

“That’s why I called you up here,” Barbara says, directing them to follow her with a nod. “The truth is that Dick has been acting as Batman ever since Bruce went to trial on Rimbor. We had Bruce back briefly after that, but then he…well, we thought Darkseid killed him during the Crisis, so Dick picked the mantle back up again.”

“You _thought_ Darkseid killed him?” Kaldur asks.

“Yes,” Barbara nods. “But it turns out Darkseid actually hit him with a beam that sent him back in time, cursing him to make several jumps forward in time and collecting enough Omega energy that when he arrived back in the 21st century he’d punch a hole in _time itself_.”

“Wait,” Artemis says. “I may not live in Gotham anymore, but I definitely saw you," she points at Bruce, "on the news as Brucie Wayne doing stuff in the past year. Who the hell was that, then, if Batman was actually stuck in history, or whatever?” Bruce grimaces.

“That’s a long story,” Dick says, glancing at Tim. “Just…think of him as a body double.”

“I don’t understand,” M’gann says, “How does this concern us?”

“Because I wasn’t the only one lost in time,” Bruce says.

“Someone else was stuck there too," Barbara says, "but Bruce was collecting such massive amounts of Omega radiation that it was enough for him to actually lock on himself and use it as a target to sling himself back to the present.”

Hope that Artemis hasn’t allowed herself to feel in months flutters in her chest.

“ _No_ ,” she whispers. “Don’t you lie to me, Barbara Gordon; you had better not be joking.”

“She’s not,” Tim says. “Bruce made it back to the 21st century on the sixteenth; the reason we didn’t contact you sooner is because we were busy verifying our little surprise’s identity and making sure he was actually going to stay in this century without disappearing again or dying. He finally woke up today.”

They come to a stop at the Watchtower’s medbay, where the team can clearly see Wally sitting on one of the beds through the glass. He’s got empty wrappers for all kinds of food scattered around him, yet he continues to plow through the pile he has in front of him until he sees them all approach.

“It’s him,” Tim says. “We checked. It’s really him.”

“ _Guys!_ ” Wally yells, throwing his hands up in the air. Wrappers go everywhere.

“ _Wally!_ ” Artemis sobs, running in and tackling her boyfriend to the bed. They squeeze each other tight in a back-breaking hug. The lovely couple only has a moment to enjoy each other’s embrace before the rest of the team tackles him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Wally laughs, “Go easy on me, I’m still recovering.”

“Yeah, watch my head, you guys,” Dick says, “I literally _just_ had brain surgery.”

“ _Dick, what the hell!_ ” Wally chucks a protein bar at the bat on Dick's chest. “I don’t know what to address first; the fact that you just had _brain surgery_ , or the fact that you’re _the goddamn Batman,_ apparently.”

“The surgery was fine,” Dick says, waving his concern off as he sits on the edge of the bed. “Just the typical Gotham craziness. As long as you don’t elbow me in the back of the head any time soon, I’ll be right as rain in no time.”

“Tt, I’d hardly call what we just went through ‘typical,’ even for Gotham,” Damian scoffs, lingering a few feet away. He's the only one who's followed the team into the medbay. Dick chuckles.

“You haven’t lived there that long,” Dick says. “You’ll realize soon enough.” He pulls Robin close to his side, presenting him to Wally with a beaming grin on his face. “Look!” he says, “I even got my own Robin. _And_ a flying Batmobile.”

“Dude, don’t _do_ that,” Wally says, laughing. “Batman is _not_ supposed to smile like that.”

“Agreed,” Artemis says dryly. “Are you going to introduce us?”

“Yeah,” Dick says, pushing back his cowl. “Be polite, kiddo, and introduce yourself.”

The boy scowls fiercely, but relents in the face of Dick’s encouraging smile.

“Fine,” he mutters, pushing back his hood and peeling off his domino. “I am Damian Wayne,” he says. “I am the fourth and _best_ Robin, and it is my destiny to be Batman one day.”

“…Well then,” Wally says, barely holding back a laugh at the kid’s pompous attitude. He holds out a hand, which Damian shakes with utter seriousness. “It’s nice to meet you, Damian.”

“…Though you seem to be a fool, I suppose it is an honor to meet someone whose partnership Grayson valued and mourned so much,” Damian says, a heavy blush crawling its way up his neck as he looks anywhere but at Wally or Dick.

“Hey,” Wally says, gentle and kind. “Thank you for keeping my best bud safe when I couldn’t.”

“You had best not do it again,” Damian says accusingly.

“I don’t plan on it,” Wally grins. “Guys, okay, I have _so_ many questions,” he says, the proverbial dam breaking as he fails to hold back his inquisitive nature any longer. “How long was I gone? What _happened?_ Dick, why are you Batman? Were you the weird evil Batman that was attacking when I showed up? Are Bart and Uncle Barry okay? Is - " 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dick laughs. "On question at a time, Kid Mouth."

“It’s been just over a year,” Kaldur says. "And your uncle and cousin are both safe. Your sacrifice was not in vain, my friend."

“A year! Oh man, my parents are gonna be so mad at me. Oh man, _college!_ ”

"The Batman thing is a long story," Dick says, "I'll tell you guys the full version later. But no, I was not the evil Batman that was attacking when you showed up."

"You better not hold anything back," Wally says, pointing an accusing finger at Dick. "I know how you are, Dick Grayson. I'm your best friend, that means I have backstage passes to Bat Drama."

Dick laughs fully and loudly, his chest feeling free and open in a way it hasn't in a long time. Getting Bruce _and_ Wally back at the same time...he hasn't felt this happy since...well, since probably even before Wally's "death." It's been a long two years.

“Conner and I bought a house,” M’gann says, beaming.

“I’ve got a job repairing motorcycles,” Conner adds. “By the way, you _have_ to let me see the Batmobile if it _flies_.”

“Motorcycles! You’re just a regular old bad boy, aren’t you?”

As Wally eagerly chats back and forth with his teammates, Bruce allows himself a smile, and he and Barbara tug Damian and Tim away so they can return the Cave.

 

* * *

 

**Later  
** _ Watchtower _

“Dude, I know I made it sound like I thought it was super cool that you were Batman, but how have you been holding up?” Wally asks, once they’ve all settled and the stories have slowed down. “I mean, I know this wasn’t exactly…”

“What I wanted?” Dick snorts. “Yeah, you can say that again.” He sighs. “It’s been rough. It’s been really rough, I won’t lie,” he says, talking to the whole team, because it’s about damn time they finally got an explanation for him going M.I.A. for a whole year. “Losing you was…a lot. Losing Bruce almost right after nearly killed me. Honestly, the only thing that kept me going some days was knowing that I had to take care of Damian.”

“ _Dick_ ,” M’gann says, resting a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell us about Bruce when it happened?”

“We had to keep the fact that Batman was dead under wraps,” Dick says. “There’s some League members that still don’t even know what happened.” He winces. 

“That’s…not really a good excuse,” Artemis says.

“I know,” Dick says. “I know. It’s a horrible excuse. It's no excuse at all. But the truth is that I handled my grief horribly. Between that, and the Joker shooting Babs…” he sighs. “It was awful. I thought I was going to lose my mind drowning in all of Batman’s responsibilities. I wasn’t thinking clearly at all for a while. Plus…” he trails off. “I. I feel like Batman brings out the worst in me, the part of me that’s always scheming and calculating losses and putting the mission before everything else. I didn’t want you guys to see that.”

“Dick,” Kaldur says, ever the voice of support. “You do not have to be ashamed. We’re here for you, no matter what. You can count on our support.”

“As Nightwing _or_ Batman,” M’gann says.

“The next time something like this happens,” Artemis says, looking Dick dead in the eye, “and there _will_ be a next time, I want you to _talk_ to us. I never want to have to go through the experience of calling every Bat whose number I can get my hands on just to make sure you’re alive again, do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear, ma’am,” Dick says, properly chastised.

“Now, come on,” Artemis says, leaning up against Wally. “Tell us what it was like training a Robin!”

“Yeah,” Wally laughs, “I remember the way you were as a kid. How much of a handful was he?”

“Ugh, no, guys, you’re making me feel _old_ ,” Dick whines.

“Nevertheless,” Kaldur says, a fond smile on his face. “Tell us what it was like to be a mentor.”

 

* * *

 

 _Group Chat: oh god we’re the adults now aren’t we_  
Barbara, Dick, Kaldur, Artemis, Wally, Conner, M’gann, Raquel, Zatanna  
9 online

 **August 16, 2017 12:15PM  
**From: Dick

today's the day ;)

 **August 16, 2017 12:16PM  
**From: Kaldur

Welcome back, Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you everyone for reading!! all the kind words mean a lot to me :') i think this is the first multichap fic ive ever finished lmao
> 
> i feel really bad for leaving out cass and steph only having like one mention! so i think im gonna make this into a series where i can do some spin-off fics to address 1) jason stealing damian away back to gotham 2) steph joining the batfam 3) the eventual fallout after this w/ damian's death and 4) some way to fit cass into this au, etc. if you enjoyed this, keep an eye out! 
> 
> again, you can visit me over at @dykewing (main) or @ohmightyoracle (writing sideblog) on tumblr and @dykegrayson on twitter (or @disco_wing on twitter as well if you want my normie account)!


End file.
